Betrayed Oneshot Songfic
by Jago Pulastra
Summary: One-shot songfic based around Jeff Buckley's, "Hallelujah", detailing the story of one man's relationship with a woman, from young love to bitter treachery.


_Just a bit of background, this was actual a post of mine from an RP Website that a friend encouraged me would make a great songfic, so ... Well, here it is. Jago Pulastra is my own created character for an Alternate Universe Star Wars RolePlay, as is Sabine Durnol. Ksandra Mallan is an invention of her own writer's and she has graciously allowed me to use her for this. This particular piece takes place after an act of betrayal, and is written Third Person Singular from Jago's perspective. Italics denote thoughts, whereas bold type beginning and ending with colons denotes Comlink transmissions._

_Enjoy, and, as always, all comments, reviews, (contructive) criticism, and general remarks are welcome and appreciated._

_______

~ Jago's ship was completely disabled, drifting away from the _White Angel_ among the darkness of space. His personal comlink was still active: he heard the calls of Ksandra and his fellow Dragons, already on their way to assist him.

He didn't move, though. Didn't bother to try and restart the _Presage_. Everything had gone wrong, everything had gone horribly, horribly wrong, so quickly ...

She had betrayed him. _Again_, she had betrayed him. He recalled the first time so vividly, the images stinging his eyes as they replayed over and over. It was the same view as before: the _White Angel_ reigning over him, just waiting to envelope him in its dark wings.

How didn't he see it? Was he truly blinded by his former feelings for Sabine? Did he willingly ignore the danger he sensed, just for the sake of an old love? He had abandoned the girl his heart belonged to for lies and deception ...

His thoughts turned inwards as he grew numb to the world, his eyes glazing over and darkening. For some reason, music was all he heard ... a song, from long, long ago ...

_I heard there was a secret chord,_

_That Tionne played and it pleased The Force,_

_But you don't really care for music, do ya?_

Lasers began arching over his viewport, racing from the _Angel_ to behind him. Jago let out a defeated sigh as his senses brushed against the target: the _Semangat_, with Ksandra onboard. Even after he left her, she was there to defend him ...

**::Jago! Jago, just hold on, I'm coming, I'm on my way! ... Jago? Jago ..!::**

_Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth, _

_The minor fall and the major lift, _

_The baffled king composing hallelujah ..._

Starfighters had been launched by both sides, the pirate Ixiyens and Kihraxzs clashing with the X-Wings of the Yavin Four Defense Forces as the two CR90s traded volley after volley. Slowly, Jago withdrew from it all, sitting in the dark of his cockpit, watching the scene unfold.

How could he have let this happen ..?

_Hallelujah ... _

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

**::Red Five, watch, you've picked one up!::**

**::I see it, I see it, moving to intercept, hold on!::**

**::Blue Group, head for Sector Tau-Chi, deflectors to double-front!::**

**::Argh, I'm hit! She's breaking u-!::**

**Shields down... Engines down .... Rea-::**

**::Damnit, we've just lost Red Seven!::**

His eyes took in the scene, pupils wavering slightly. The silence of space screamed at him as each yellow-and-orange blossom sprouted against the stars: just one more pilot turned to dust. It was as if he were watching a holovid rather than sitting in the midst of a roaring battle, not a single reaction from him at all.

Jago's mind turned to Sabine again ... The first time he had ever met her ...

Battered and lonely onboard the _Andromeda Whisper_, the pirate vessel they had been slaves on. Her arms were bruised, he recalled, but her smile still seemed to have some warmth to it. She had not lost all hope yet. He had helped her back to her feet, and had chuckled when he realized she was slightly taller than him back then ...

_Well your faith was strong but you needed proof, _

_You saw her bathing on the roof, _

_Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya ..._

Years later, when he encountered her again ...

She had given in to the ways of a raider, capturing him aboard her own pirate corvette. Their fight was as fierce as it was quick. He had her overpowered, cowering before him, recalling what she had put him through. He had _loved_ her, loved her as much as one _could_ love another. Jago had given her her _life_ back, and _that_ was how she repaid him? With blood and anger? Her cold and indifferent voice rang in his ears once more ...

_She tied you to her kitchen chair, _

_She broke your throne, she cut your hair, _

_And from your lips she drew the hallelujah ..._

And he had let her go. After everything, he freed her. Helped her stand again. They both laughed uneasily when they realized that he had grown taller this time around. Brought her to a hospital, carried her to the medical bed himself, her arms wrapped around his neck, sobbing the entire while.

Heard her say the three words ...

_Hallelujah ... _

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

She had meant much to him even afterwards. She was the one he couldn't kill. After turning on so many friends and comrades-in-arms throughout his life, the one whom he had actually trusted was the one who had betrayed him the most. So many times before, when he had stood over one who's blood he sought, he had never had a problem pulling the trigger ... But her ...

_Baby I've been here before, _

_I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, _

_I used to live alone before I knew ya ..._

Now here she was. After swearing to him to give up piracy, after promising she would right her life out, thanking Jago over and over again for saving her, she had showed up once more. Preyed upon his feelings. _Used_ him as if nothing had ever occurred between them.

**::Focus on the lead fighter! Bring it down!::**

**::Damnit, I've lost my rear stabili- Gah-!::**

**::Pirate bastards! Squadron, reform!::**

There was no going back after this ... Jago's hollow eyes were a testament to that fact, even as he began to see the _White Angel_'s guns turning on him. It seemed that Jago was worth some money dead, too, and Sabine had no qualms about collecting ...

Still, no movement. Facing impending death, Jago was so shocked he had been driven into a catatonic state. He had put everyone in jeopardy, constantly turning aside their misgivings and warnings, and now he had led them all into flame and ash.

For what?

_But I've seen your flag on the marble arch, _

_And love is not a victory march, _

_It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah ..._

Just as the blaster bolts were headed his way, intent on cracking his ship in half and exposing him to the cold death of vacuum, another white shape filled Jago's view. The _Semangat_.

Kassy had positioned her vessel directly between Jago and Sabine, bearing the brunt of the damage as she fired back. She was _saving_ him, just as he had saved the woman who was now _intent_ on killing him. He was alive, if only to ponder for the rest of his life how things could have degraded to this point ...

Vacant eyes looked on as the two ships shuddered and shook from the exchange of volleys, tiny starfighters darting between their guns, continuing their deadly dance among the stars.

All for him ...

_Hallelujah ... _

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

_Hallelujah ..._

Where had things went wrong? What had happened to Sabine that she had slipped so far? Even when she was on Yavin, she was far more reserved than he had ever known ... They used to talk for hours, telling each other every single secret and whisper they could, finding solace in one another's presence. It was the only comfort they had in a dark and miserable life.

_Well there was a time when you let me know, _

_What's really going on below, _

_But now you never show that to me, do ya?_

She was his first ... He had loved her beyond anything back then. She was what he had hung onto, what kept him going day-to-day. Through the beatings and the threats of death, he had crawled on his hands and knees to her, and somehow found the strength to stand. They were all they had: them against an entire Galaxy trying to break them, and yet love drove them to persevere ...

_But remember when I moved in you, _

_And the holy dove was moving too, _

_And every breath we drew was hallelujah... _

His eyes closed. He couldn't look at this anymore. He was just starting his relationship with Ksandra, and now _this_. To be reminded of what Love had done to him. It had broken him and made him completely re-think his life, changing entirely. No longer a mercenary, no longer a gunman, giving up a life of causing pain and trying to better himself, to help others, to right the wrongs he had done.

Who had he helped?

_Hallelujah ..._

Not Wesley, whom he had failed to redeem and fell to his blade.

Not Gideon, whom he had killed in cold blood after he had lost his mind to power.

_Hallelujah ..._

Not Ksandra, who had to have the patience of a sage to deal with all of his misfortunes and troubles.

Not Tebana, who he had caused an ever-lasting anguish that he was unsure if she'd ever be able to truly forgive him for.

_Hallelujah_

Not Dav, whom he had turned from at every offer to help, persistent in his foolish pride on trying to right his own problems.

Not his brothers and sisters at the Praxeum, whom he had withdrew from, had self-exiled himself from their love and care when he needed it most.

_Hallelujah ..._

What good had he done? Perhaps it was he who had inadvertently caused the downfall of Sabine Durnol to such a low point ...

_Well, maybe there's a god above, _

_But all I've ever learned from love, _

_Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya ..._

But that wasn't going to stop him. He had loved Ksandra from afar for far too long. He wasn't going to let that go, not because of this. Not because of someone who had a heart surrounded by ice, willing to forfeit all they had built together, all they had made. He _loved_ Ksandra, and this was just a trial they had to get through ...

His friends were still there. Guiding him. Aiding him, despite his turning from them time and time again. This was love, then. It wasn't about sharing the joys of life, but about how well the bond held when everything threatened to tear apart.

_It's not a cry that you hear at night, _

_It's not somebody who's seen the light, _

_It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah ..._

His comlink was blaring, but still all Jago could do was stare, stare at that darkness known as space and try and make his mind as blank as its emptiness. In that nothingness, he found some measure of peace, a momentary calm as he tried to collect himself.

Once again, he would be forced to wage war against someone he cared for deeply ...

Fate was indeed a cruel mistress to Jago Pulastra.

**::Jago? Please, answer me!::**

_Hallelujah ... _

**::Jago ... let me know you're alive, please ...::**

_Hallelujah ..._

**::Please, I'm _begging_ you ... _Jago!_::**

_Hallelujah ... _

**::Jago, I love you ... No matter what after this, I love you ...::**

_Hallelujah ..._~


End file.
